Nano-urchin: The formation and structure of high-density spherical clusters of vanadium oxide nanotubes

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Date
2006-01
Authors
O'Dwyer, Colm
Navas, D.
Lavayen, Vladimir
Benavente, Eglantina
Santa-Ana, María A.
Gonzalez, Guillermo
Newcomb, Simon B.
Sotomayor Torres, Clivia M.
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American Chemical Society
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Abstract
We report the observation of urchin-like nanostructures consisting of high-density spherical nanotube radial arrays of vanadium oxide nanocomposite, successfully synthesized by a simple chemical route using an ethanolic solution of vanadium tri-isopropoxide and alkyl amine hexadecylamine for 7 days at 180oC. The results show that the growth process of the NanoUrchin occurs in stages, starting with a radial self-organized arrangement of lamina followed by the rolling of the lamina into nanotubes. The longest nanotubes are measured to be several micrometers in length with diameters of ~120 nm and hollow centers typically measured to be ~75 nm. The NanoUrchin have an estimated density of nanotubes of ~40 sr-1. The tube walls comprise layers of vanadium oxide with the organic surfactant intercalated between atomic layers. The interlayer distance is measured to be 2.9 ± 0.1 nm and electron diffraction identified the vanadate phase in the VOx nanocomposite as orthorhombic V2O5. These nanostructures may be used as three-dimensional composite materials and as supports for other materials.
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Keywords
Nano-urchin , Nanotube , Nanocomposite , Nanostructure , Self-assembly , Vanadium oxide
Citation
O'Dwyer, C,Navas, D,Lavayen, V,Benavente, E,Santa Ana, MA,Gonzalez, G,Newcomb, SB,Torres, CMS (2006) 'Nano-urchin: The formation and structure of high-density spherical clusters of vanadium oxide nanotubes'. Chemistry of Materials, 18 (13), pp. 3016-3022. doi: 10.1021/cm0603809
Copyright
© 2006, American Chemical Society. This document is the Accepted Manuscript version of a Published Work that appeared in final form in Chemistry of Materials, copyright © American Chemical Society after peer review and technical editing by the publisher.To access the final edited and published work see http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/cm0603809